Patty making machine

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method for automatically forming food products, such as, potato patties from shreds, the shreds being withdrawn from a hopper onto two endless belts which pass into a nip formed by counterrotating compacting rollers, one of which has a compacting recess formed in its circumference. The ribbon formed by the compaction is cut into patties by a reciprocating knife cutting into the recess. In an alternate embodiment the knife is positioned to bear against the belt onto which the ribbon drops after being formed in the compacting stage. To positively feed the shreds into the compacting rollers, a pin wheel having rows of pins eccentrically mounted with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel is positioned adjacent to the compacting rollers.

United States Patent l RU Primary ExaminerHenry S. JaudonAttorney-Price, Heneveld, Huizcnga and Cooper ABSTRACT: Apparatus andmethod for automatically forming food products, such as, potato pattiesfrom shreds, the shreds being withdrawn from a hopper onto two endlessbelts which pass into a nip formed by counterrotating compactingrollers, one of which has a compacting recess formed in itscircumference. The ribbon formed by the compaction is cut into pattiesby a reciprocating knife cutting into the recess. In an alternateembodiment the knife is positioned to bear against the belt onto whichthe ribbon drops after being formed in the compacting stage. Topositively feed the shreds into thecompacting rollers, a pin wheelhaving rows of pins eccentrically mounted with respect to the axis ofrotation of the wheel is positioned adjacent to the compacting rollers.

PATENTED JUN29 |97| SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR ALBERT F. VERHOEVEN M MWATTORNEYS PATENTEU JUHZQIHYI I 3,569,30

sum 2 OF 2 vy- 2 {FY05 INVENTOR ALBERT F. VERHOEVEN oi-a1 .W/ W i 7ATTORNEYS PATTY MAKING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the makingof potato patties from potato shreds, there always has been a problem inconstructing an apparatus which would produce the patties automaticallyand of the same quality as those produced by hand or by processes whichwere not complete automated. Particularly, there has been a problem inproviding uniform feed of the potato shreds into the compacting means.Failure to feed the shreds uniformly into the compacting means resultsin voids formed in the resulting patties.

Still another difficulty in the preparation of the patties is the needfor a continuous, rather than batch, process to reduce production costs.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention relates to a machine forautomatically forming potato patties of uniform quality. Specifically,the invention provides apparatus utilized in preparation of potatopatties comprising a hopper; a first endless belt positioned to passunderneath the hopper; means for feeding shreds of potatoes from thehopper onto the belts; means for compacting the shreds on the belt intoa compact ribbon; a second endless belt; means for transferring theribbon from the first belt to the second belt; a reciprocating knife forcutting the ribbon into patties; and means for reciprocating the knife.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus and amethod for automatically forming food products such as potato pattiesfrom potato shreds. I

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus and amethod of the above character wherein shreds are uniformly fed into thecompacting means so as to eliminate voids.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an apparatus anda method of the above character which will pro vide the potato pattiescontinuously.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reference to thefollowing drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic elevationalview, partly in section, of the apparatus constructed in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, partially broken away, takenalong the lineII-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line IlI-IlI of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an clevational view similar to FIG. I but showing an alternateembodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention concerns theautomatic production of food products such as potato patties from potatoshreds and specifically the preparation of the patties prior to thecooking thereof.

In accordance with the invention, potatoes are shredded into shortstrips S which are fed into a hopper l0, the hopper being positionedabove two coacting counterrotating compacting rollers 12 and 14. Therollers are conventionally mounted so that roller 12 can be adjustedwith respect to roller 14, thereby altering the size of the nip betweenthe two rollers. The direction of rotation of the two rollers is asshown by the arrows in FIG. I, the rotation serving to draw the shredsinto a nip wherein they are compacted. The roller 14 is driven byconventional means such as the series of pulleys and belts designated bythe numeral 16, the whole series being driven by a drive shaft 18. Theroller 12 is driven from roller 14 by conventional gears, not shown. Todefine the nip 15 so as to provide a compacting space, the roller 12 isprovided with a pulleylike recess 20 around its entire circumference.The potato patty is formed in recess 20 with the sidewalls 22 of therecess 20 (FIG. 5) limiting the width of the patty. A conveying surfacefor carrying the shreds and the patties into and away from,respectively, the nip 15, is formed by a first endless belt 24 whichpasses around a portion of the circumference defined by the recess 20,under the hopper 10 and through the nip 15. The belt 24 rises graduallyfrom the horizontal after leaving the roller 12, passes around afreewheeling pulley 26 and a conventional takeup roller 28. The slack inthe belt 24 is adjusted by roller 28 in the nip 15. A releasing agent 30is conventionally applied to a felt roller 32 pressing on the belt 24 bymeans of a backup roller 34 so that the belt 24 is lubricated with arelease agent. An adjustable doctoring blade 36 controls the amount ofreleasing agent applied to the belt. A scraper blade 38 is positionedbetween the rollers 26 and 28 to remove any shreds from the belt priorto its returning to hopper 10. The shreds scraped thereby fall into abin 40.

A second endless belt 42 passes around a portion of the circumference ofthe roller 14, under the hopper l0 and into the nip 15. The belt 42 iswider than the belt 24 (FIG. 5), so that the sidewalls 22 of the roller12 can press against the belt 42 and confine the compacting area for thepatties. The belt 42 passes around shoe 46 and a conventional takeuppulley 44 similar to pulley 28. The pulley 44 controls the slack in belt42. The stripping shoe 46 is positioned below the roller 12 so that thebelt 42 passes over and around the shoe 46 at an acute angle. The shoe46 functions to hold the ribbon R in the recess 20 after the compactingstep. A third belt 48 is positioned beneath belt 24 and adjacent to theshoe 46, leaving a gap 50 therebetween. The belt 48 is passed overconventional shoes and supporting rollers to carry the potato pattiesformed from the ribbon horizontally away. The belt 48 passes under thepoint where the potato ribbon first starts to separate from the belt 24.Due to the use of release agent 30, the patties can drop by gravity fromthe belt 24. The belt 48 is driven by a conventional pulley 52 which inturn is driven by a belt 54 operating from the drive shaft 18. To adjustthe slack in the belt 48, conventional takeup pulleys 56 are utilized.

A knife 58 is mounted for reciprocation into the gap 50 formed betweenthe belts 42 and 48, the knife being sufficiently narrow as to pass intothe recess 20 formed by the sidewalls 22 of the roller 12. The knifepresses against the belt 24 at a point where the belt is still on andjust prior to its leaving the surface of the recess 20 to sever theribbon into patties. To reciprocate the knife, a conventional rocker armassembly 60 is moved by a piston rod 62 actuated by a fluid cylinder 64,which cylinder can be conventionally operated either hydraulically orpneumatically. The patties P are then carried by the belt 48 anddischarged to a point 66 where the patties are further processed, suchas by cooking.

A pinwheel 70 containing radially projecting pins 74 is positioned belowthe hopper and adjacent to both the rollers 12 and 14. The wheel 70 isrotatably driven about a shaft 69 which thus forms the wheels axis ofrotation. A belt 71 drives pin wheel 70 through pulley 72 in a directionof the arrow in FIG. 1. The belt 71 is connected to the same drivesystem which drives the lower roller 14. A sealing surface 73 on thehopper l2, bearing against the surface of the rotating wheel 70 (FIG. 2)to contain the shreds within hopper 12. The pinwheel 70 is positioned asclose to the nip 15 as possible, so as to positively force the potatoshreds into the nip 15 to start the compacting of the shreds against thebelt 24. To accommodate this close positioning of the pinwheel 70, thepins 74 are mounted so that they are drawn inwardly as they approachwheel 14. To this end, the pins 74 are mounted in rows on the end ofradially disposed plates 76, one row of pins to each plate, the plates76 are slidably mounted in radially extending grooves within the wheel70 and are in turn connected to followers 78 which are constrained tomove in a generally elliptical track 80. The center of track 80 isdisplaced from the axis of rotation of the pinwheel 70. Track 80 ispositioned in a stationary plate 82 which is independent from thepinwheel 70. The eccentric mounting thus provides that the pins 74 willproject out into the hopper 1,0 to engage the shreds S and drive themtoward the nip l5, and will be retracted back into the wheel 70 as thepins 74 approach the nip 15 between the pinwheel 70 and the roller 14 soas to clear the belt 42. Although the rows of pins 74 are disclosed inthe drawings as being one row to a plate, each row being radiallydisposed about shaft 69, it will be apparent that alternate arrangementsof the pins can be obtained, such as an arrangement wherein the rows arenot radially disposed. Other camming arrangements are also possiblewithin the scope of the invention.

PR]. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment in the apparatus providingthe formation of the potato patties, wherein the reciprocating knifedoes not press against the compacting rollers and the third belt iseliminated. The parts in the embodiment which correspond to thosepreviously described have the same reference numerals to which thedistinguishing suffix a" has been added. For the sake of brevity, adescription of these parts will not be repeated. in the embodiment, thebelts 42 and 48 have been replaced by a single belt 48a which passesthrough the nip 15 around roller 14a, around shoe 66a and takeup rollers56a. The belt 48a thus moves through the nip l5 and carries the ribbon Rto shoe 66a. Takeup pulleys 56a control the slack in belt 480. To cutthe ribbon R into patties, a knife 58a is positioned above shoe 66a. Theknife is mounted for reciprocal movement against the belt 48a as itpasses over the shoe 66a. As in the case of the previous embodiment,rocker arms 60a reciprocate the knife in accordance with thereciprocation of a piston rod 62a actuated by a piston 64a.

Other modifications of the apparatus disclosed herein are possiblewithin the scope of the invention. For example, the shape of the recess20 can be such that the sides of the ribbon R formed therein are morerounded. However, the walls 22 of the recess 20 must always be otherthan downwardly converging so that the ribbon R will drop out of therecess and off the belt 24 after it is formed.

In operation of the first embodiment, the food product is shredded andfed into hopper 10. in thelower portion of the hopper 10, the shredswill be fed with positive action into the nip between rollers 14 and 12and into recess 20. The rollers 14 and 12 compact the shreds within therecess and form a ribbon R. Upon leaving the nip 15, the ribbon R is cutinto patties with knife blade 58 bearing against roller 12. The pattiesP are then picked up by belt 48 as the patties separate I from belt 24.

The operation of the second embodiment is the same as above describedexcept that the ribbon R is not cut until after it separates from belt24a.

Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope ofthe foregoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spiritof the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus utilized in the preparation of food product patties, saidapparatus comprising: a hopper; a endless belt positioned to passunderneath said hopper; means including pins driven downwardly towardsaid belt for feeding shreds of a food product from said hopper ontosaid belt; a pair of coacting rollers positioned on each side of saidendless belt for compacting said shreds on said belt into a compactribbon; a conveyor means; means for transferring the ribbon from saidbelt to said conveyor means; and means for cutting said ribbon intopatties.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein compacting meansincludes a pair of coating rollers, said first endless belt passingbetween them; said feeding means is positioned under said hopperadjacent to said pair of rollers.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said rollers arecounterrotating and adjustably spaced apart to form an adjustable nip,said first belt passing through said nip with said shreds thereon; andfurther including a second endless belt positioned to pass under saidhopper and through said nip.

4. The apparatus as defined. in claim 3 wherein said first mentionedbelt passes around a portion of the circumference of one of saidrollers, and said second belt passes around a portion of thecircumference of the other of said rollers.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein one of said rollers hasa circumferential recess defined by radially extending sidewalls; saidroller sidewalls abutting said second belt; said first mentioned beltpasses over said one roller within said recess; and said cutting meansincludes a reciprocating knife.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said transferring meansincludes a releasing agent applied to said first mentioned belt.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said knife is positionedso that its cutting blade passes into said recess and contacts saidfirst mentioned belt when it is within said recess of said one roller,and further including means for reciprocating said knife.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said cutting meansincludes a knife positioned so that its cutting blade contacts saidsecond belt, and further including means for reciprocating said knife.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said feeding meansincludes a pinwheel rotatably driven about an axis of rotation, saidpins engaging the shreds and feeding them to said first mentioned belt.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said pins are mountedfor radial movement by cam means comprising a generally elliptical trackand followers operatively connected to said pins and engaging saidtrack, said track being offcentered with respect to the axis of rotationof said wheel.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said pins are mountedon a plurality of plates each of which are in turn slidably mounted inradial slots in said wheel, and said plates are connected to saidfollowers; and further including means for rotatably driving said wheel.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said pins are mountedin rows, one row to each plate.

13. A pinwheel for feeding potato shreds into compacting means, saidwheel comprising an axle; means for rotatably mounting said wheel onsaid axle; a plurality of pins mounted within said wheel for radialmovement therein; a track mounted eccentrically with respect to saidaxle and fixed relative to said wheel; and means for operativelyconnecting said pins to said track whereby the radial movement of saidpins in said wheel is determined and controlled by said track as saidwheel is rotated about said axle.

14. The wheel as defined in claim 13 wherein said track is elliptical.

15. The wheel as defined in claim 13 wherein said pins are mounted inrows on plates, said plates are slidably mounted within radial slots insaid wheel, each of said plates being connected to a follower, saidfollowers being movably confined in said track so as to be engagedthereby.

16. The wheel as defined in claim 15 wherein said rows are mounted onerow to a plate.

17. An apparatus for continuously forming food patties, said apparatuscomprising:

a pair of adjacent compacting rolls mounted for counter rotation andforming a nip therebetween;

a recess formed in the circumference of one of said rolls;

a first belt passing around a portion of the circumference of said oneroll and within said recess;

a second belt passing around a portion of the circumference of the otherof said pair of rolls;

hopper means communicating with the nip of said compacting rollers; andmeans to force said food product within said hopper into the nip of saidrollers.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said forcing meansincludes a roller having radially disposed pins.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said second belt forms aconveyor for carrying compacted food products away from said nip.

1. Apparatus utilized in the preparation of food product patties, saidapparatus comprising: a hopper; a endless belt positioned to passunderneath said hopper; means including pins driven downwardly towardsaid belt for feeding shreds of a food product from said hopper ontosaid belt; a pair of coacting rollers positioned on each side of saidendless belt for compacting said shreds on said belt into a compactribbon; a conveyor means; means for transferring the ribbon from saidbelt to said conveyor means; and means for cutting said ribbon intopatties.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein compactingmeans includes a pair of coating rollers, said first endless beltpassing between them; said feeding means is positioned under said hopperadjacent to said pair of rollers.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim2, wherein said rollers are counterrotating and adjustably spaced apartto form an adjustable nip, said first belt passing through said nip withsaid shreds thereon; and further including a second endless beltpositioned to pass under said hopper and through said nip.
 4. Theapparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said first mentioned belt passesaround a portion of the circumference of one of said rollers, and saidsecond belt passes around a portion of the circumference of the other ofsaid rollers.
 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein one ofsaid rollers has a circumferential recess defined by radially extendingsidewalls; said roller sidewalls abutting said second belt; said firstmentioned belt passes over said one roller within said recess; and saidcutting means includes a reciprocating knife.
 6. The apparatus asdefined in claim 5, wherein said transferring means includes a releasingagent applied to said first mentioned belt.
 7. The apparatus as definedin claim 5, wherein said knife is positioned so that its cutting bladepasses into said recess and contacts said first mentioned belt when itis within said recess of said one roller, and further including meansfor reciprocating said knife.
 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 2,wherein said cutting means includes a knife positioned so that itscutting blade contacts said second belt, and further including means forreciprocating said knife.
 9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein said feeding means includes a pinwheel rotatably driven about anaxis of rotation, said pins engaging the shreds and feeding them to saidfirst mentioned belt.
 10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, whereinsaid pins are mounted for radial movement by cam means comprising agenerally elliptical track and followers operatively connected to saidpins and engaging said track, said track being offcentered with respectto the axis of rotation of said wheel.
 11. The apparatus as defined inclaim 10, wherein said pins are mounted on a plurality of plates each ofwhich are in turn slidably mounted in radial slots in said wheel, andsaid plates are connected to said followers; and further including meansfor rotatably driving said wheel.
 12. The apparatus as defined in claim11, wherein said pins are mounted in rows, one row to each plate.
 13. Apinwheel for feeding potato shreds into compacting means, said wheelcomprising an axle; means for rotatably mounting said wheel on saidaxle; a plurality of pins mounted within said wheel for radial movementtherein; a track mounted eccentrically with respect to said axle andfixed relative to said wheel; and means for operatively connectiNg saidpins to said track whereby the radial movement of said pins in saidwheel is determined and controlled by said track as said wheel isrotated about said axle.
 14. The wheel as defined in claim 13 whereinsaid track is elliptical.
 15. The wheel as defined in claim 13 whereinsaid pins are mounted in rows on plates, said plates are slidablymounted within radial slots in said wheel, each of said plates beingconnected to a follower, said followers being movably confined in saidtrack so as to be engaged thereby.
 16. The wheel as defined in claim 15wherein said rows are mounted one row to a plate.
 17. An apparatus forcontinuously forming food patties, said apparatus comprising: a pair ofadjacent compacting rolls mounted for counter rotation and forming a niptherebetween; a recess formed in the circumference of one of said rolls;a first belt passing around a portion of the circumference of said oneroll and within said recess; a second belt passing around a portion ofthe circumference of the other of said pair of rolls; hopper meanscommunicating with the nip of said compacting rollers; and means toforce said food product within said hopper into the nip of said rollers.18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said forcing meansincludes a roller having radially disposed pins.
 19. An apparatusaccording to claim 17 wherein said second belt forms a conveyor forcarrying compacted food products away from said nip.